READ ON. THE WORST REALLY IS YET TO COME!

Batgirl Tells the Siren, “Move Over!”

Batgirl couldn't keep from glancing at the huge machine next to her. It was making a ferocious noise, yet the accelerator hadn't reached its peak. The equipment still wasn't quite ready to discharge the millions of volts that soon were supposed to surge through Batgirl's beautiful body.

‘I'd like to be out of here before then,’ she thought wryly.

As usual, Batgirl kept struggling against the bonds that held her in place, but she couldn't remember being pinioned this tightly in a long time. ‘Siren and her henchwomen couldn't have done this. It had to have been the work of Allegro and Andante.’

From her makeshift prison, she could see them staring into space, along with Professor Gibson. ‘Siren must have given Allegro and Andante orders to only react to sudden motion and to stop me if I escaped,’ Batgirl thought. ‘In fact, I'm sure she programmed that meek-looking scientist in the same manner.

‘It must be nice to have that kind of power over men. Heck, I can't even get Charlie to obey me half the time. I wonder what it might be like . . .’

Batgirl shook her head from side to side. ‘Snap out of it, girl!’ she thought. ‘Just focus, focus on getting out of here. There's got to be a way.

‘There always is. Always!’

WHILE BATGIRL STRUGGLES TO BREAK FREE OF HER BONDS, THE EVIL SIREN IS . . .

HAVING HER HAIR AND NAILS DONE AGAIN???

As the Siren sat in the back of her van, standing behind her was Melody, looping together the silver braids that helped to form the Siren's trademark horizontal bouffant.

"We're wasting time, boss," complained Lyrica, who also was busy, buffing the Siren's silver fingernails.

"I agree," Melody said, still working on the Siren's coiffure.

"Don't be so impatient, ladies," the lethal lovely answered. "As I told Batgirl, I have to look my best for my close-up."

"Please cut to the chase, boss," Melody implored. "What's the plan?"

"OK, girls. I will give in for once to your incessant impetuousness. Our final stop will be at television station KGC-TV."

"What's there, boss?" Lyrica said.

"Only the beginning of the next chapter of my criminal rewrite." Siren's eyes nearly glowed as her assistants listened closely. "At precisely 11 p.m., Gotham Sports Nightly will begin its live broadcast. It is the highest-rated, locally-originating show among Gotham City males. Just think about it, ladies! I will be able to entrance and enslave thousands of Gotham City men all at one time. Think of the criminal possibilities. I could have them all surrender their money to me. I could enlist them as my own army, ready to fight and die for me.

"Or," the Siren paused for effect, "I could have them do both! The opportunities are endless. At the same time, I also will have Batman reveal his secret identity. At least all the women out there in television-land will comprehend who he is. The men might be a little, shall we say, preoccupied." Lyrica and Melody nodded and smiled.

"But first, my melodious minions, I have to swing by the Commissioner's office again by myself, pick up Batman, and bring him to the studio."

"We could do that," Lyrica said, hopefully.

"I know you could," the Siren said, "but I would prefer to do it myself."

No further explanation was necessary. The Siren still didn't want to trust the knowledge of Batman's identity with anyone else, at least not until it became common knowledge. The two pretty henchwomen frowned as Siren went on with her plan.

"You girls stay here," the Siren continued. "In precisely fifteen minutes, I want you to check on Batgirl. We need to know how the experiment is going, and if Batgirl will be joining our criminal choir. Or . . . if she'll be joining the choir invisible."

Siren laughed wickedly.

"But how will you get back to Police Headquarters?" Melody asked.

"I think I'll manage," Siren said, getting up from the chair and flashing what could only be described as a fiendish grin as she looked out the window and scanned the parking lot. "I'm sure I can find a chap who would be only too willing to loan me his automobile."

The Siren picked up her ever-present hand mirror and admired herself once again. "I am SO beautiful. Nice work, Melody, Lyrica. See you later, ladies."

After her evil employer exited the van, Lyrica said, "It really bothers me that she doesn't trust us."

"I know, I know," Melody replied. "It annoys me, too. Hey! Wait a minute. Will you look at that?"

Siren's wicked wenches excitedly watched what was unfolding. They saw the Siren flag down a car that had just come through the entrance to the parking lot. She went to the driver's-side window and opened her mouth wide. Seconds later, the driver got out of the car, walking stiffly. Siren said something to him, got into the car, and drove away, leaving the unfortunate man standing there, gaping at air.

"That's why we have to stay with her," Melody reminded her partner in crime. "You heard what she said. If this experiment works on Batgirl, she would consider using it on us. Then we could split from her and go off on our own. Besides, would you rather have been working for Catwoman?"

“No! Look what happened to her!”

“How about the Scarecrow?”

“Too creepy!”

"Poison Ivy's no better," Melody said. "I have hay fever, plus green's not my best color. Trust me, we're in good shape right where we are."

MEANWHILE, BACK AT THE ATOMIC ENERGY LABORATORY . . .

Batgirl still was desperately trying to escape. She wasn't sure what had expended more energy, her or the accelerator.

Her legs began to get heavier and heavier. She knew from experience that was the first sign of fatigue. She was getting mentally tired as well. Her mind again began drifting.

‘I wonder what it would be like to be a siren?’ she again thought. ‘Would it be so bad? Maybe I could use that power for good.’

Again, Batgirl shook herself back to reality. ‘How do I get out of here?’

There didn't seem to be any way. She looked at the accelerator. The amount of stored energy kept increasing. Batgirl could tell by the lights that measured capacitance, as compared to the potential output.

‘Why did I take so much chemistry instead of more physics?’ Batgirl asked herself. She had no idea what the numbers next to the flashing lights were signifying, only that it probably wasn't good for her.

As the machine had been slowly building towards its potentially lethal discharge, Batgirl had been only vaguely aware of an increase in pressure across her wrists and ankles. Now, however, the compression against those parts of her body by the metal straps restraining her began to demand her immediate attention — painfully so.

‘What’s going on?!?’ Batgirl wondered. She worried her wrist and ankle bones were about to be crushed! Batgirl writhed in agony. ‘What’s causing this?!?’

Suddenly, the answer came to Batgirl. ‘As the particle accelerator draws ever closer to the moment of discharge, it creates a . . . tremendous magnetic field!’

The glass booth had been situated so the metal straps were being pulled toward the accelerator. As that happened, the metal was being deformed . . . thereby loosening the bolts attaching the straps to the booth!!

The lateral force on the bolts created by the deforming metal bands was greater than the pull on the bolts’ heads. In addition, the field had become so intense the attraction on the bolts’ threads significantly exceeded the force on their tops.

‘Can I pull free before I’m mashed in four places . . . and before I get jolted by twenty million volts?!’

There wasn't any choice. She had to escape!

The accelerator kept going, moving inexorably to its peak. She had been encased for little more than an hour, yet Batgirl's legs felt like she had run a marathon. Still, she kept pushing . . . straining . . . doing anything she could to get loose.

Soon, the pressure across her wrists and ankles became so great she could no longer bear it. Batgirl let out a blood-curdling scream.

At that moment, the Dark Knight Damsel felt some give around her left boot. She kept moving her foot until it finally came free!

She repeated the process with her right foot. Then her right hand, and eventually her left hand, slipped the metal bonds.

The wires connected to her neck fell away as she slumped forward to the floor of her glass prison. While on her knees, panting, Batgirl realized that, ironically, the Siren had done her a favor by removing her utility belt. Otherwise, the metal in her belt would have kept her stuck to the wall of the glass booth!

In addition, it was fortunate her hidden knives and lock picks were made of non-magnetic material. She had made that choice to help the concealed items avoid detection. Today, that decision had saved her life.

The magnetic field was now so strong, she could feel its pull on the small amount of metal in the lurex material of her costume. ‘I wonder if the iron in my red blood cells is being affected, too?!’

Batgirl struggled to her feet. A vicious thrust of her right purple boot kicked out the door of the glass prison.

Outside the booth, the noise was even louder. All around she could hear crackling, as if a miniature thunderstorm were taking place in the room.

She staggered to the last switch the professor had flipped and toggled it back. The lights on the accelerator faded, and went dark.

Batgirl rubbed her sore right wrist with her left hand. "I'm glad that's over," she sighed to herself.

But it wasn't. Not just yet.

She had forgotten that the Siren's henchmen, Andante and Allegro, were still in the room. Just as Batgirl had suspected, the Siren had given them orders while she was unconscious. The enchanting chanteuse had given the same directives to Professor Gibson, the scientist who had been transformed into a sycophant.

The purple-clad heroine knew from experience, though, that whether it was the Siren's dupes or Marsha, Queen of Diamonds' minions, human automatons don't make good fighters. That's what the formerly insubordinate Andante and Allegro were now, nothing but robots.

They charged at her. Despite her tired state, Batgirl easily feinted out of the way, like a bullfighter taunting its animal opponent. She punctuated her pirouette with one of her trademark giggles.

The henchmen both blinked, apparently not comprehending why they had missed their quarry. They charged at her again, a little slower this time. That hesitation was all that Batgirl needed.

She spun around to face them again, and delivered a kick to Andante's rib cage with her left boot. Almost simultaneously, her right arm gave a karate chop to Allegro's neck. Andante fell immediately, while Allegro staggered a bit before falling on top of his criminal cohort.

Batgirl smiled broadly. "I wish these fights were always this easy," she said. Then Professor Gibson ran toward her, as fast as a middle-aged scientist could. The two thugs she had just disposed of had made their criminal choices long ago, so Batgirl felt no guilt about roughing them up, but this, Batgirl realized, was different.

She dodged out of the way of the unwitting, slow-moving dupe. As he went by, she pulled his tweed jacket over his head, and, as gently as possible, pushed him to the floor, making sure he could still breathe. He flailed about briefly like a turtle on its shell before yawning and closing his eyes.

Batgirl finally could take a deep breath. As she paused to gather herself, she remembered that the Siren had said something about a "close-up." ‘What could she have meant by that?’

There was only one way to find out.

To do so, she had to get out of the atomic laboratory first. Batgirl guessed the ion particle accelerator was in the basement. She chose not to go upstairs the same way Siren and her henchwomen had.

‘If I know Siren,’ she thought, ‘the rest of the building is filled with men under her spell. I don't need to run that gauntlet.’

Batgirl first went to a nearby broom closet. In it was her utility belt. ‘The Siren is so lazy,’ Batgirl thought, before she began looking feverishly for an alternate exit.

AS BATGIRL LOOKS FOR A WAY OUT, THE OTHER HALF OF THE DYNAMITE DUO IS STILL ON A WILD GOOSE CHASE, SEARCHING FOR THE SINISTER SONGBIRD.

Robin already had checked the Nightingale Club, one of the Siren's former hideouts. It, however, was boarded up and there didn't seem to be any evidence of recent activity there.

His next stop was the Grotto Arms, the hotel Siren stayed at - and transformed into a hideout - in her first visit to Gotham City.

"Oh, no, she hasn't been here this time, thank goodness," said the hotel's manager, Warren Wagner. Robin studied him closely, looking for any clues that might indicate he wasn't speaking of his own accord, but he seemed to be telling the truth.

"She was the worst 'guest' we ever had," Wagner said. "She hypnotized the entire male staff, had all the walls in the basement knocked down to create one giant suite for herself, and then decorated it with black wallpaper and some of the cheapest furnishings you ever saw . . . and then she skipped out on the bill! We hope to never see her again."

"Thanks," Robin said. He was walking out the door when his cell phone rang. It was Batgirl.

"I've been looking for you," the former Boy Wonder said, "as well as the Siren."

"You guessed right," Batgirl responded. "She had me in another one of her endless traps, but I managed to escape. She's long gone, though, and I don't have my Batgirlcycle."

"Where are you?"

"Believe it or not, I'm at the Atomic Energy Laboratory. I just found an exit in the back of the building."

"Holy Hydrogen!" Robin recalled Batman's and his brush with death at the hands of the Mad Hatter at that location. "What are you doing there?"

"It's a long story, Robin. I'll tell you when you get here."

"OK, Batgirl. I'll be there as soon as I can."

"What about Batman?"

"Uh," Robin paused. He had been so busy, he hadn't had time to come up with one of his patented excuses for Batman's whereabouts. "He's in a meeting." That was the best he could come up with on short notice. It was true, sort of.

If Batgirl hadn't been so physically and mentally exhausted, she might have correlated Batman's absence with a hypnotized Bruce Wayne's presence in the Commissioner's office. In her tired state, though, it didn't occur to her.

So, she didn't even mind when Robin quickly changed the subject. "Batgirl, did the Siren give any hints as to the rest of her plan?"

"Only one. She said she had to get ready for her close-up."

"I don't blame her. She is gorgeous, I'll give her that."

"Robin!" Batgirl scolded her crimefighting contemporary.

"Hey, I don't like her any more than you do," Robin reminded his cohort. "She's tried to kill me, too, but as Batman once said of Catwoman, you have to give credit where credit is due. Anyway, she’s not as pretty as you are, Batgirl.”

The compliment mollified Batgirl, at least a little bit. “Nice recovery.”

Robin returned the conversation to the matter at hand. “The real question is: what did she mean by her 'close-up?'"

Batgirl offered, "Maybe she wants to take over a movie set?"

"Perhaps. I'll punch that idea into the portable Batcomputer on my way over there, and see what movies are currently filming in Gotham City. I'm on my way."

"Thanks, Robin. I'll be waiting."

WHILE AT POLICE HEADQUARTERS . . .

Lieutenant Diana Mooney was just settling in at her desk when the phone rang. The red-headed policewoman had gotten back early after spending a couple of days clubbing on the East End of Short Island. "Lieutenant Mooney."

"Err, Lieutenant, this is Officer Evans. We have a strange situation here in front of the Atomic Energy Laboratory. I was told to call you."

As the highest-ranking woman in the GCPD, Mooney had been put in charge of the Anti-Siren Task Force. It was disbanded after the Siren had been pardoned by the President.

"OK, Officer, what have you got?"

"Well, it seems a man has been wandering the parking lot the last half-hour," the female uniformed patrolperson said, "oblivious to everyone and everything. He almost got run over when he stepped next to a moving vehicle. My partner finally wrestled him to the ground and handcuffed him. We figured it was for his own good."

"Is the man homeless?"

"Doesn't play that way, Lieutenant. According to his ID, his name is Peter Maxwell and he's a supervisor here at the lab."

"Anything else strange going on around the building, Officer?"

"Well, yes. We spoke to the security director, Ronald Anthony, and although he was conscious, he said he had amnesia. He had absolutely no idea what had happened the last few hours, but he could tell security had been breached. Nothing had been taken, however, there were several other men scattered throughout the building, either also suffering from amnesia or in a catatonic state."

"Hmmmm. I wonder . . ." Lt. Mooney said. Her mind quickly processed this strange information. "Officer, this definitely looks like the work of the Siren."

"Really? I thought she had reformed and lost those strange powers."

"Apparently not. Tell me, is your partner also female?"

"Yes."

"That's good, Officer. I'm instructing you both to stay there and monitor Maxwell and the other hypnotized men. They should be coherent within an hour and will probably tell a similar story to the one the security director did. I may need you and your partner, and some other female officers, to help me subdue the Siren, once we find out where she is. I'll keep you posted."

"We'll be standing by, Lieutenant," Officer Evans said.

Diana hung up the desk phone and picked up her cell. "I suppose I should call Batgirl," she said. "We'll need all the help we can get."

MEANWHILE, BACK AT COMMISSIONER GORDON'S OFFICE, TWO HOURS HAVE PASSED . . .

BUT TIME HAS STOOD STILL FOR THOSE IN THE SIREN'S EVIL GRIP!

The door to the Commissioner's office opened and the Siren sashayed in. Bruce, Gordon and O'Hara were still motionless on the couch.

The Siren smiled.

"The combination of my sonic spell," she said softly to nobody in particular, "plus a post-hypnotic suggestion, can reduce even Batman himself, or at least his alter-ego, to a mindless slave."

Siren faced the men and addressed them. "Boys," she said, "may I have your attention?"

As soon as they looked at her, her stunning note, two octaves above High C, filled the room once again as she re-established total control over them. At that moment, the sinister super-soprano decided her ego needed some stroking. ‘After all,’ the Siren thought, 'it's been at least a few hours since anyone has told me how beautiful I am.’

"Boys, aren't I the most gorgeous super-criminal in Gotham City? More so than anyone else?"

"Of course," Bruce said. "You're much more beautiful than any of the Catwomen ever were."

"Much more alluring than the Queen of Diamonds," the Commissioner added.

"And, Saints preserve us, much more ravishing than Poison Ivy," Chief O'Hara said.

"I thank you all," the mesmerizing malefactor said. "Not that I didn't already know that, but it's always nice to hear it. Now, you boys in blue be quiet for a few moments while I speak to Mr. Wayne — I mean Batman!"

The captivating criminal crooner turned her attention to the hypnotized millionaire. "Stand up, Bruce," she said. "Come to me."

Bruce walked toward the Siren, never taking his eyes off her. As he stopped in front of her, the Siren began stroking his hair. She then took him in his arms and kissed him. She broke it off quickly, however, and took a step back from her handsome slave.

"You are fascinated by me, aren't you, Bruce?"

"Of course I am, Siren."

"You will do anything for me, won't you?"

"Of course I will, Siren," he answered. "Anything you desire."

"I want your fortune - again."

"Of course, Siren. Anything I have is yours. Do you want it right now?"

"No, Bruce," she said as she looked him up and down. "I have something else that I need you to take care of first. I want you to accompany me to the KGC-TV studios. I want you to be there while I hypnotize the men of Gotham City."

"Of course. Is there something you want me to do while I'm there?"

"Yes. I want you to reveal your secret identity on live television."

Bruce suddenly began to stammer. "But, but, I swore I never would-"

The Siren advanced on him again. The silver-clad seductress grabbed Bruce by the shoulders and pushed his head down, until he found himself staring at her cleavage. As his mouth began to quiver, she lifted his head and kissed him again, lingering much longer this time. After their lips finally separated, she began stroking his left cheek lovingly.

"Now, Bruce," she said seductively. "What was that you were about to say?"

There was silence for the briefest of moments. Bruce Wayne was entirely the Siren’s to command, but a last vestige of Batman resisted. ‘The Siren already knows my identity,’ the inner voice rationalized, ‘and I’m only agreeing to reveal my secret to others. I’m not actually doing it.’

"Nothing," Bruce said, staring into her eyes. "Of course I will reveal my identity, if that is what you desire."

"That's a good boy." The Siren patted him on the head. "Confession is good for the soul, my dear.”

Siren flashed a sinister smile. "It's time for us to go, Bruce. Bye-bye, boys in blue. Bruce, we will now take the service elevator to the basement. You first."

"Your wish is my command, Siren," he said, as he led the way toward the door. Commissioner Gordon and Chief O'Hara sat motionless and expressionless on the couch.

The Siren, however, stopped short. The evil Englishwoman put her right hand on her cheek, momentarily lost in thought.

"Is something wrong, Siren?" Bruce asked.

"It just occurred to me that we have yet to hear from the Boy Blunder," Siren said, looking out the office window. "He couldn't have given up trying to find his mentor this easily, could he? Oh, well, maybe he knows this time he's beaten."

Those last words from the Siren took on a muffled quality, coming through Robin's headset, as he listened in the Batmobile on his way to pick up Batgirl. The bug he had planted underneath the Commissioner's desk had worked perfectly, just as it had the first time he and Batgirl had crossed the Siren's wicked path.

There now was no need to consult the portable Batcomputer. Robin knew what her plan was, but he also couldn't give Batgirl the whole picture.

Finally, he arrived at the laboratory. He noticed the police cars in front of the building on his way to the back entrance.

"Thank you so much," a tired Batgirl said as she climbed into the Batmobile. "Any idea of what the Siren is up to?"

"Yes. Her plan is to take over a broadcast at KGC-TV and hypnotize as many men en masse as she can."

"Wow. I'll call Diana back. She called me just now, but I couldn't offer her any information other than what I told you. We definitely could use a female police presence there."

“I need to talk to her, too,” Robin said. “I just remembered something.”

Batgirl pulled out her cell phone. “Hello, Diana?”

“Hold on, Batgirl, I’m getting a call on my land line.”

Mooney got back to Batgirl a minute later.

“What was it, Diana?”

“Well, it seems we stopped a van because one of its taillights was out, and it turned out to be the Siren’s. You know, the one with the ‘HI SEE’ license plate.”

“Was she in it?” Batgirl asked excitedly.

“No, but we’ve detained two of her accomplices for questioning. Now, what do you have for me?”

“In a second, Diana. Robin says he has some important information for you.” Batgirl handed Robin the phone.

“Lieutenant, I can’t tell you how I know this, but you should send someone to the Commissioner’s office.”

Batgirl gasped and hoped it wasn’t audible. 'I was so exhausted that I totally forgot about Daddy!' she thought.

“The Commissioner and the Chief are OK,” Robin continued. “They’re under the Siren’s spell, but I don’t think they’re in any imminent danger, but please have someone keep an eye on them, just in case.”

Mooney was a bit suspicious, wondering exactly how Robin had come by his information. She had learned long ago, though, despite their cooperation with the GCPD, all of the Caped Crusaders operated under their own set of rules. So under the circumstances, all she said was “Thanks, Robin, I appreciate that.”

Back in the Batmobile, Batgirl was both relieved and angry at herself for her memory lapse. She tried not to let on.

“OK, Batgirl, you can talk to the Lieutenant now,” Robin said.

“Robin and I are on our way to the KGC-TV studios,” Batgirl said, taking back the phone. “We believe that’s where the Siren is headed.”

“Affirmative,” the Lieutenant replied. “The GCPD will be there, too — female division, of course.”

"Who are you?" the security guard at the front door of KGC-TV said in amazement as he looked at the curvaceous woman in silver standing before him. He was practically mesmerized by just her beautiful eyes before she even opened her mouth. If he had looked around, he might have seen millionaire philanthropist Bruce Wayne standing behind and just to the right of the woman. The guard never noticed him.

"Why, I'm here to film a new reality show," the Siren answered. She took a deep breath before unleashing her high note.

“It’s called, Who Wants To Plunder Gotham City?” the Siren said, laughing as the entranced guard stared at her. She reached out and stroked his face.

"I'm about to make my live television debut in America," she said. "You will take me to the set of Gotham Sports Nightly. Is that understood?"

The guard nodded obediently. "Yes, ma'am. Follow me," he said. The Siren and Bruce trailed along.

They made their way down a hall, where another guard was stationed in front of a pair of double doors.

"Sorry, no one's allowed in here," he said.

The Siren rolled her eyes and sighed. "Must I raise my voice again?" she said, just before again delivering her note two octaves above High C.

"Open the doors," she commanded the second guard. He did as he was told.

It was nearly time for Gotham Sports Nightly to start. Host Biff Barnes was seated behind a desk. The Siren happily noted that the only other people on the set - the stage manager and two camera operators - were also men.

"What the hell are you doing here?" an angry Barnes asked. Of course, the Siren didn't appreciate being on the receiving end of demands.

"You've just been canceled," she said before again singing her stunning note, which also could be heard in the control room.

Since the Siren didn't know who was in that room, she issued a warning. "This message is for any women in the control room," the Siren began. There actually were two, the assistant director and a technician. "Don't do anything stupid. Men, if any woman in the control room attempts to leave or call the police, you will punch her in the head.

"Mr. Director, you will keep the camera on me at all times. I promise you all this will be a groundbreaking show!"

"I don't think so, Siren!" Batgirl yelled. "Your being arrested has become a tired plot development!"

The Siren whirled to see her longtime nemesis, the Dynamite Duo, burst into the studio. She looked at Batgirl with a shocked expression. “You’re not a siren!” Siren exclaimed, frowning, “and worse yet, you’re not dead!”

“You underestimated me again,” Batgirl said, jutting out her ample chest in triumph.

"This show is over, Siren," Robin added sternly.

"We'll soon see about that, Batboy," Siren said, as she belted out a note two octaves above High C.

"You never learn do, you?" Robin said. "The combination of the Bat-earplugs and the Bat-synchronizer has once again rendered me immune to your nefarious note!"

"Maybe so, Robin," Siren said, grinning, "but I've just enslaved thousands of Gotham men watching this broadcast. All I have to do is give them the order and they will descend upon this studio. I think several thousand against two is a fair fight, don't you?"

"Wrong again, Siren," Batgirl said, placing her hands on her hips as this time she jutted out her chin in triumph. "Robin and I figured out your plan, and we called the station manager and had him pull the plug two minutes ago. The only high-pitched whine anyone heard just now is that of a test pattern!"

Frustration was etched on the Siren's face, but the sultry sorceress tried to recover. "Boys!" she called out to her latest batch of instant henchmen. "Dispose of Batgirl and Robin."

But she quickly added, "Not you, Bruce. I need you for something else, remember?" Bruce nodded his head and stayed out of the fray.

The results were predictable. Batgirl and Robin began routing the dupes, as sweat started to form on Siren's normally impeccable brow.

"You bloody twits," she shouted at "her" men as they fell, one by one, to the studio floor. "OK, Bruce, I know you can do this because of who you really are. Get in there . . . and do try to do better than last time."

Bruce tried to fulfill her wish, but swung at Robin and missed badly. ‘Do I have to do this again?’ Robin thought. He knew the answer was yes, so he said, "Sorry again, Mr. Wayne" and punched his mentor's alter-ego in the face as gently as he could.

Bruce still crumpled to the ground as if he had been decked by a haymaker.

"It's all over, Siren," Batgirl said, just as Lieutenant Mooney, accompanied by two female officers, burst into the studio.

"You'll never take me alive!" the Siren screamed in her best melodramatic voice.

‘Sheesh! She must have heard that in a movie,’ Batgirl thought.

The Siren's statement, however, almost came true. As she began backing away from the Dynamite Duo and the female police, her long horizontal bouffant inadvertently smacked into the wall. The impact made Siren stumble forward, and as she did, she knocked down a small klieg light.

ZZZZZTTTT

The Siren and the light stand came to rest separately upon a heavy electrical cable. She finally rolled away from the cable, but then was motionless, splayed on the floor.

‘Maybe she's dead!’ Batgirl thought for a moment. She knew it wasn't really right to hope for the Siren’s demise, but she couldn't help herself. ‘This woman has been out to get me for so long, and now, maybe, just maybe . . .’

Diana quickly took charge of the situation. She noted that the unconscious villainess had a pulse, and was still breathing.

"9-1-1, this is Lieutenant Mooney of the GCPD. I have a woman down, probable electric shock, at the KGC-TV studios. I need an ambulance immediately. Oh, and I need an all-female crew of EMTs. Repeat, I need an all-female crew of EMTs. I don't have time to explain."

Just then, a groggy male voice asked, "Where am I?"

Batgirl and Robin turned to see Bruce Wayne awakening from his trance.

"Bru-Mr. Wayne," Robin said. "Are you all right?"

"I think so, Robin," Bruce said as he rubbed his eyes. "I take it I was under the spell of the Siren again."

"That you were, Mr. Wayne," Robin replied. "but Batgirl and I handled the situation." He smiled at the female crimefighter. "We make a pretty good team."

"It's always a pleasure working with you," Batgirl said, with a flirtatious grin.

A short time later, two women paramedics came into the studio and lifted the prone Siren onto a stretcher.

"I wonder if she'll recover?" Robin said as the comatose criminal was wheeled away.

"You know what, Robin? I shouldn't say this, but I really don't care," Batgirl said.

"I know what you mean," Robin replied. "I know exactly what you mean. By the way, you never told me what you were doing at the Atomic Energy Laboratory.”

"Well, it’s a long story," Batgirl replied. "The Cliffs Notes version is that the Siren was trying to turn me into a criminal, just like her. She was trying to transform me into a siren."

"As if you're not one already," Robin said, grinning.

Batgirl blushed. "Very funny," she said, smiling.

It was shortly after midnight in the Commissioner’s office. Batman and Robin were talking with the Commissioner and the Chief when Barbara rushed through the door. "Daddy!" she yelled happily. "Thank goodness you're all right!"

"Oh, Barbara, I can't believe it happened again," her father said. "This is getting really old."

"Don't worry, everything's OK now," Barbara said. "I think I already know the answer, but do you remember anything that happened?"

"I remember the Siren entering my office yesterday afternoon," he said. "That's all."

"Same here," Chief O'Hara said. "The whole time’s pretty much a blank until about an hour ago."

"That’s when Chief O'Hara and I both regained our senses," the Commissioner said.

"Holy Synchronicity," Robin exclaimed. "That's the same time that Bruce Wayne came out of his trance at the TV studio. If the Siren stunned all three of you at once, I guess it figures you would all awaken together."

"Excellent point, old chum," Batman said. "Although they also might have been released from her spell when she lost consciousness. We may never know for sure, because we understand so little about the Siren's powers and how they work.

"She's never consented to a full battery of tests. Maybe this time . . ."

Barbara said, "Perhaps this injury will cause her to lose her hypnotic powers."

"We can only hope," Batman said. "It's a shame that such a beautiful, intelligent and talented woman can't use her immense gifts for good, instead of evil. Have you heard any word from the hospital, Commissioner?"

"No news, Batman," the Commissioner replied. "Apparently, she hasn't regained consciousness yet.”

"Maybe she will awaken as a different Lorelei Circe," a hopeful Batman said.

IF BATMAN ONLY KNEW HOW RIGHT HE WAS!

AFTER DAYBREAK, AT THE GOTHAM CITY HOSPITAL . . .

"This is sooooooo boring, Finch," said the 6' 1", blue-eyed blonde attired in the uniform of the Gotham City Police Department.

"So what, Reece?" replied her co-worker, a 6' 3", green-eyed brunette dressed identically. "This is the easiest duty we've ever had. Besides, we've guarded this Siren chick before. She's not much trouble. Not to us, anyway."

The two female police officers had once escorted the Siren to a court appearance, because, as women, they obviously were immune to her hypnotic voice. Due to their experience, Lieutenant Mooney had again chosen them to guard her while the Siren recuperated from the electric shock she had gotten while trying to escape from Batgirl and Robin at KGC-TV. Both were obviously tall and athletic, part of the new wave of women that had been hired by the Police Department of Gotham City after the Nora Clavicle debacle.

"You know, the doctors believe that the shock she received may have taken away her powers," Reece noted. "I guess that would be too bad for us, wouldn't it?"

"Yeah," Finch said, "another easy payday gone. Wait a minute. I think she's waking up."

After her latest accident, the nurses had changed the Siren's clothes. Instead of her silver mini-dress, she was wearing a drab white hospital gown as she stirred from beneath the covers. Her hair was quite frizzy and her face was still a bit crimson as she lifted her head.

"What happened?" she asked, somewhat groggily. "Where am I?"

"You're at Gotham City Hospital," Reece told her. "You suffered a pretty nasty electric shock last night."

The Siren tried to remember, but her recollection was hazy. Something about a TV studio, and she was trying to escape from someone, and she tripped over something, and then . . . and then . . .

‘Batgirl! Wasn't Batgirl involved? Isn't she always? And wasn’t that annoying police lieutenant there, too? The one that had been in charge of the task force dedicated to arresting me?!’

The captured criminal took a deep breath and opened her mouth. She had to know if her voice still worked.

"Eeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee."

Officers Finch and Reece both squinted. Although the note could not hypnotize them, it was still quite annoying.

"I guess you're still the Siren," Reece said, looking at Lorelei Circe with a wan smile.

The Siren was pleased that her highest note was still as loud and piercing as ever . . . but as she stretched her arms and yawned, she felt different. Her hands and feet were still tingling, but she was enjoying the sensation. Her vision was clearer, sharper than before. In short, she felt better than ever.

More powerful than ever.

‘Could it be?’ she thought. ‘Could I have gained new powers?

‘Well, there’s only one way to find out.’

The Siren closed her eyes and concentrated. She then opened them, and smiled at the officers.

"Come closer, you two," the Siren said to the guards. "I have a message for you both."

"You've already given us your message," Finch said, "and, of course, we couldn't accep-"

The guard stopped short as she looked into the Siren's green eyes. ‘Are they glowing?’ she thought.

They were. Lorelei Circe's eyes had turned an intense forest green. Suddenly, Finch's mind went blank. She couldn't think of anything except looking at the Siren's gorgeous, glowing, green eyes.

Reece looked at her colleague, who was standing in mute fascination.

"What the—?" Reece began, before she, too, was stopped by the gaze of the Siren.

The two women became transfixed as the Siren's eyes seemed to pulsate. The now twice-mutated sorceress began speaking slowly.

"That's right. The two of you cannot see anything but my green eyes. Aren't they beautiful? Aren't they absolutely radiant?"

Finch and Reece nodded.

"Keep looking into my eyes, ladies," the Siren said methodically. "There is nothing else in your world besides me. I am all that matters to both of you. Isn't that right?"

The policewomen nodded obediently, the first females ever to be under the sinister spell of the Siren.

"You will do anything to protect me, won't you?"

"Yes, Siren," Finch and Reece said in a simultaneous monotone.

"Good. Then let's blow this place," the Siren said. "You're not the only women in law enforcement with whom I have a score to settle . . . but first, where are my clothes? This unfashionable look is not befitting of the Siren."

"Your dress is in that closet, mistress," Reece said.

"And my boots?"

"Under the bed, mistress," Finch said.

"Good, good," Siren said as she began changing her clothes. "Now first, what are your names?”

“I am Officer Reece.”

“I am Officer Finch.”

“No, no, no,” the Siren shook her head. “That simply won’t do.”

The heinous hypnotist first looked at Reece. “Your name is now Aria.”

“My name is Aria,” the blonde guard said.

Siren turned and faced her other new henchwoman. “Your name is now Operetta.”

“My name is Operetta,” the brunette said.

“Your sole purpose in life is . . . ?” the supernatural seductress prompted.

“. . . to serve you, Siren,” both said in unison.

“Smashing. Now that we all understand one another, here are your orders. You two will procure a wheeled litter, and we will pretend that you are taking me to Mount Ararat Hospital for some further testing. Is that clear? Hurry!"

The officers nodded and left the room in search of a gurney. The Siren admired them as they departed.

"I, the Siren, am now audio-visual,” she said, as a giggle gave way to a maniacal laugh. "No one, not even Batgirl, can stop me now!"

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